"A Wonderful Antidote to the gene hysteria that is now so dominant! Biological explanations of gender differences abound. But, Kaplan and Rogers eloquently argue, they pay no heed to culture, social change, or history. Beautifully and persuasively written, Gene Worship draws on an impressive array of arguments to demolish the biological claims one by one. What is most exciting about this book is the authors' ability to move seamlessly from research on how the brain works, to sociology, history, and philosophy. And that, I believe, is exactly how we need to understand gendereither nature nor nurture, but a complex interplay. Altogether an excellent contribution to feminist scholarship on gender and sexuality!"r. Lynda BirkeRecent Mapping Of The Human Genome Has Led To Widespread Optimism About Potentially Groundbreaking Scientific Discoveries On The Horizon. Gene therapy, for instance, is seen as being poised to solve a host of human problems ranging from physical impairments, to mental disorders, to so-called undesirable behavior, such as aggressions if genetic explanations held the key to understanding all human behavior.How credible are these claims? Gisela Kaplan and Lesley Rogers argue that such optimism is not well-founded, particularly in matters of sex, gender, homosexuality, or many other patterns of behavior.As biologists with an exceptional breadth of joint expertise in neuroscience, ethology, psychology, sociology, and physiology, Kaplan and Rogers are uniquely situated to evaluate whether questions about human behavior can be solved solely though the study of our genetic makeup. They caution against the current seductive belief that once we understand our genetic constitution, it is but a short step to complete mastery of human behavior. Through numerous examples that draw upon the history of both ideas and science, they also show that this belief is an example of how science can be used to serve ideology.By moving beyond the old nature/nurture debate about what makes us how we are, the authors present a new understanding of gender and sexuality. Thus, they make us aware of the recent reassertion of many old claims, if in a new garb, of female and male "nature."In this lucidly argued and captivating book, Gisela Kaplan and Lesley Rogers make a strong case, based on their own extensive research, that we are not ruled by our genes.